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2010 Jonathan Lax Scholarship Fund for Gay Men
Applications Now Available
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Information session for
potential applicants:
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
1500 Walnut Street,
2nd floor conference room,
6:00-8:00 PM
For more info, visit: breadrosesfund.org/go/lax
The Jonathan Lax
Scholarship Fund offers scholarships in amounts up to $20,000 to gay men from
the five county Philadelphia region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and
Philadelphia counties) and Camden County, NJ who are attending accredited
colleges, graduate or professional schools anywhere, or to men attending such
schools within the Philadelphia region. Applications for the 2010 round of scholarships are due on
January 15th. |
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queerVOICE
Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill
James Duggan
copyright 2009
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A
bill currently being debated by the Ugandan Government, in its original form,
called for the death penalty for homosexuals in that country. Under the
Anti-Homosexuality Bill, queers convicted of having same-sex sex would be
sentenced, at minimum, to life in prison and people who test positive for HIV
or who engage in same-sex sex more than once, may be executed.
Other provisions of the bill include, seven years for anyone
who "aids, abets, counsels or procures" another to engage in acts of
homosexuality, and three years for anyone who knows of homosexual activity
taking place but does not report it, effectively ending all HIV/AIDS assistance
programs in that African nation. The bill also provides for the reorientation
of queers.
According to a Bloomberg Report, both executions and
life in prison have been removed from the bill. Apparently bowing to both
International and religious pressure, these two extremes penalties were removed
in order to quell the uproar directed at the overall bill. But be assured harsh
penalties will be levied on those convicted.
According to the Associated Press, Ugandan lawmakers proposed
the measure after a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy for gays
to become heterosexual.
In March 2008, Rick Warren designated Uganda as the world's second
officially "Purpose Driven" nation. Warren has yet to condemn to bill
According to Bruce Wilson of the New Apostolic Reformation
Research Group, "some observers have wondered if Purpose Driven Life author and mega-evangelist
Rick Warren has had a role in the globally controversial bill, especially
because of Warren's close association with Ugandan antigay activist Martin
Ssempa and, more broadly, because Warren has refused to denounce the antigay
bill. To little notice, a charismatic network overseen by Warren's doctoral dissertation advisor, C. Peter Wagner, has played a major role in politically
organizing and inspiring the Ugandan legislators who have spearheaded the
antigay bill."
International queer rights groups, religious leaders, and the
heads of state for Canada
and Great Britain
have all condemned this bill. A Swedish development assistance minister
reportedly suggested that her country could cut aid funding in Uganda
as a result of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
In October of this year, the United
States pledged $246,000,000 in aid to Uganda.
Need I speak of the unjustness of such a law--and such an
embarrassment of financial support?
On every single level of thought and reason, such a law is morally and
ethically unjust and, therefore, unacceptable. This proposed law is at
the heart of how those who are blinded by hate advocate the love that is their
religion.
Do not be fooled, right here in our own country there are
religious leaders who advocate the same principles found in Uganda's
Anti-Homosexuality Bill and would love to see such a bill in our country.
Right here on the streets of Philadelphia
I have heard Christian preaches
advocate our death by the hands of the government simply because we are queer.
While I don't reasonable believe that such a bill could be
enacted here in the states, the fact that is enacted anywhere is repugnant and
must be challenged. The outlawing of one's natural born sexuality based
on religious beliefs is a violation of one's basic human rights regardless of
what country they live in.
We as individuals are required to give voice to those
oppressed. A just people need to take a stand against not just Uganda's
Anti-Homosexuality Bill but all nations that outlaw who we are. It must
be the policy of the Untied States to stand against such unjust laws that would
condemn and imprison us.
Take Action! Call upon your federally elected officials and
ask them to take a public stand against Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill and
all nations who outlaw homosexuality.
Find your U.S.
Representative
Find your U.S. Senator |
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What It Looks Like From Here
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2009 |
We
are--literally--everywhere and the battles for our queer rights are being waged
on all fronts.
In the Age of
Information (perhaps information overload. at least, that's what I'm feeling
most of the time, from Facebook to news reportage, whether it's Levi Johnston's
penis or Sarah Palin's book tour), there's a debate and a real movement
regarding the Internet regarding dot-gay web site domain names.
According to a report by
John Rambow (Guide, December 2009),
the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN) (it sounds like an organization with an imposing
profile and plenty of clout), a nonprofit group, is in charge of deciding which
suffixes are allowed for domain names.
In recent years, ICANN
has, according to Rambow, "ruled in favor of top-level domains that include
dot-travel and dot-biz." He pointed out that if ICANN "accepts dot-gay, it will be one of the first
that's at all controversial or even that targeted." Evidently, a "niche" suffix that ended up
being rejected by ICANN was "the potentially lucrative suffix dot-xxx" in early 2007, reported
Rambow.
But there is a war
between two rival organizations over the dot-gay issue. "At stake is a portion
of the money it would cost to register each new dot-gay site--a payout that
could be worth millions a year," writes Rambow.
At the head of one
faction is a straight German businessman named Alexander Schubert (dotgay.com) who is also acting as the leader in
the effort to get ICANN to approve dot-Berlin, however, there's yet to be a
ruling from what Rambow calls "the often-bureaucratic group" that ICANN can
easily become.
Schubert's rival is
queer founder of the Dot Gay Alliance
(dotgayalliance.com) Joe Dolce, a
former magazine editor now working in the field of public relations. Dolce
hasn't been afraid to play the "gay card" in the waging of the war over the
dot-gay issue. He told The New York Times that "having a heterosexual at the
head of such a group is 'in a way continuing the legacy of straight people
earning a lot of money off of gay people that has gone on."
What would be the
results of which groups will act as overseer of the dot-gay domain world?
ICANN would also determine that matter.
Rambow writes:
"Whoever ends up administering the domain would most likely act as a gatekeeper
only letting in websites that are
friends of the gay community. Dolce recently said that Dot Gay Alliance
would keep the suffix off-limits 'to people who are bigots, haters [who] wish
to do community members harm.' "
Both Schubert's and
Dolce's groups are for-profit organizations but both have promised to donate
funds from dot-gay domains back to the queer community. In the case of Dot Gay
Alliance, Dolce announced to the press that his company would give back 51 percent of the proceeds to
groups "championing gay rights." At Dotgay.com, Schubert states on his website
that his company would return as much as
two-thirds of the proceeds to gay groups.
From unidentified
sources, Rambow claims that ICANN is
likely to rule in favor of dot-gay domains, allowing applications for
websites "sometime in early 2010." Such
a determination would certainly be a victory for the queer community worldwide
and a strong statement from the powerful ICANN about Internet rights and
access.
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Out of the Box
Raeann Drew
copyright 2009
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Last weekend I went to
see Scott Turner Schofield tell
Philadelphians "How to Become a Man in 127 Easy Steps." While the
title is pretty straight forward--the show is anything but!
If I were to describe him, I'd say that Turner is a transmale performance artist; a maniacal, toy-wielding, perpetual
seven-year-old (and I do mean that in the best of ways); an artist of the
highest order and an awesome acrobat; a queer; and a thought-provoking,
shocking, brave and intelligent activist for trans and queer awareness.
Does that make you want
to see his show? Not yet? Let me go on.
After he introduces
himself on a stage of pillows, blankets, a mattress and a giant tub of toys, he
concocts a giant fort around the entire audience. With his silly grin and
boyish good looks (read: adorable!), he proclaims there will be no secrets in
the fort! Projected behind him is a giant decoder ring of identities:
lesbian, straight, femme, etc.
Turner passes out his
toys to the audience--toy cars, a tie, costumes and even a brown bag labeled
"surprise for a boy!" that contains a few penis packers (my girlfriend got that
one, heh).
The audience is invited
to choose their own adventure by calling out any combination of
identities. Turner then peers into the audience, gets a toy that relates
to the audience's choice, and tells a story based off the toy and the identity
combo (we didn't get to hear the story about the packers, boo). Turner conducts his storytelling this way
because he believes who we are isn't black and white (it is, in fact, a
colorful decoder ring!) and that we should be able to explain a combination of
identities that create us, not just one or maybe two.
My girlfriend and I met another performance artist and friend of
Turner's named Peterson Toscano, who does a show about
transgender bible characters. I was explaining to Peterson
pre-show my sadness that the LGBQ's sometime snub the T's, and that a lot of
lesbians think butch women are all secretly longing to be FTMs (female-to-male
transgender). Since Peterson
knows the show, he called out #16--queer and trans. Turner retrieved his
inflatable arm floaties (the little kid swimming pool kind) and put them on his
arms. He explained how lesbians raised him into adulthood, and his strong
connection to the queer community. He also explained because of his
straight male appearance that he sometimes gets tossed into the straight end of
the pool, when he really wants to be swimming with the queers.
While Turner's show was full of shocking and amazing surprises, and nothing
short of wonderful for tons of reasons, I would encourage not only trans people
to get out and see it but the LGBQ people as well. The show truly brings
the trans experience to life in a beautiful and fun way. It extends far
beyond a speech, or a book, or a photo. It's silly, it's interactive,
it's queer and it will teach you a lot!
Turner
will be performing in Baltimore
in March. For more information, visit undergroundtransit.com
Peterson will be performing in Philadelphia in March. For more information,
visit petersontoscano.com
comments@QUEERtimes.net
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Thom's Table on the Qt!
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2009
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 Attention all foodies-everywhere! The editors of U. S. Airways Magazine (December, 2009) decided that this month's
cover story would focus upon "Call
Early: 16 Most Desired Dinner Reservations" in the entire nation.
Not surprisingly, three restaurants in New York City made the
list (Babbo,
owned and operated by Mario Batali);
Rao's
where everyone from Woody Allen to Bill Clinton show up; and Ko,
owned and operated by David Chang,
with only 12 stools and a set menu at $125 per person of the most difficult
places to obtain a dinner reservation.
Two restaurants in Philadelphia and region made the list. Vetri
was the only dining destination in Center
City. The editors
wrote: "Among the accolades chef Marc Vetri has earned for his refined
Northern Italian dishes, Mario Batali's
declaration that Vetri is 'possibly the best Italian restaurant on the East
Coast.' (This from a chef with several Italian restaurants on the East
Coast.) The ultimate reservation is for Friday and Saturday degustazione tasting; the chef even
hand paints the menu."
In lovely Kennett
Square, Talula's Table represents our
region, but they're former restaurant renegades from Philadelphia.
"When Bryan
Sikora and Aimee Olexy owned a
small restaurant named Dijango in Philadelphia, it was the
toughest reservation in town," wrote the editors, "When the couple moved an
hour outside the city and opened a small coffee shop/gourmet store with a
farmhouse table that seats one party of 8-12, that became the toughest
reservation in town. How to score the table: Be the first caller at 7 a.m., exactly one year in advance."
Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.
C. scored with two restaurants each, Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, owned and operated
by Mario Batali and featuring famed
bread baker Nancy Silverton in the
City of Angels and Urasawa, owned and operated by acclaimed
Japanese chef Hiro Urasawa, that the
editors emphasize is "as expensive as it is exclusive" with seating only for 10
diners in Beverly Hills without a web site (310.247.8939); in the Windy City, Alinea,
owned and operated by "Gastro-wizard" Grant
Achatz, for a 24-course menu that occupies diners for five hours and Schwa,
owned and operated by chef Michael
Carlson, serving three to nine courses of "avant-garde tasting" for the
adventurous diners.
The nation's capital city is where Komi,
owned and operated by chef Johnny Monis
resides in exclusive Dupont Circle and Minibar, owned and operated by chef Jose Andres with only six seats at the
restaurant-within-a-restaurant, featuring a 27 course "innovative tasting menu,"
and needing a one-month in advance reservation.
In New Orleans, Cochon, owned and operated by chef Donald Link, made the list; in Atlanta,
Restaurant
Eugene, owned and operated by chef Linton Hopkins; and in Boston, O Ya, it's the best new restaurant
in the country, according to the New York Times and a dining paradise for
lovers of Sushi.
In Las Vegas which has become a notable dining
destination way beyond the all-you-can-eat casino buffets, Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand,
according to the editors, "food [that] has all the drama of this gilded city"
in the intimacy of 64 seats.
One of the most familiar and famous restaurants on
the list is The French
Laundry in Yountville,
California. In the beautiful Napa Valley,
foodies from around the world claim that the food pilgrimage to chef Thomas Keller's "gastronomic temple" is
worth the journey and the dining experience.
 In the midst of the hustle and bustle of holiday
seasonal activities, there's a respite for weary shoppers and partiers, Le Bec-Fin,
1523 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, is hosting a holiday afternoon tea time,
every Friday and Saturday, from 1 to 3:30 p. m., beginning today.
Following the well-established tradition but always
with a special chef Georges Perrier
twist, the all-inclusive price of $25 per person/$15 for children, will feature
non alcoholic drinks including coffee, tea, and hot chocolate will be served
with three delicious tiers of French finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries,
everything having been made on-site.
Le Bar
Lyonnais,
the cozy and friendly downstairs bar, will offer sweet holiday indulgences. The
heavenly pastry buffet featuring a wide assortment of mini-pastries created by
pastry chef Cedric Barberet will be
served, 9 to 11 p. m, every Monday through Saturday. The cost is only $10 per person for "unlimited
sweetness" for your family, friends, even co-workers and clients.
Barberet's culinary creations are also available
for your own holiday events or as the prefect gift for the foodies on your
gift-giving list.
The choices will include holiday logs, Red Wood log with vanilla mousseline,
red fruit jelly, and chocolate cremeux ($36), and the Chestnut Hill log with milk chocolate, chestnut mousse, and Viennese sponge soaked in
whiskey ($40); boxes of assorted house made Bonbon chocolate from 2 to 32
pieces and cost from $4-$64 and a special cake like the Le Bec-Fin which is a rum-soaked genoise and chocolate butter cream
cake for $34.
For more information,
call 215.567.1000; or visit lebecfin.com
comments@QUEERtimes.net
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Thom's Arts World
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2009
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 With so much "nice" during the holiday season, "Naughty,"
the first one-man exhibition by queer artist Michael Broderick, opening tonight,
from 5 to 8 p.m., through December 31, at AxD
Gallery, 265 South 10th Street, Center City Philadelphia,
offers more than 30 original pencil drawings and prints, of his graphically
illustrated, sexually charged images, that fans of his work are familiar with
from his book, "Just Us Guys" (Bruno
Gmunder, 2008).
This time Broderick twists the traditional Christmas
story of Ol' St. Nick into a sexy, buffed, handsome, stud who, according to
assistant gallery director Ryan
McMenamin, "enjoys the fruits of his labor as he travels the Earth of Christmas Eve . . . with perhaps a short side trip
to Mars."
Earlier, Broderick appearing in "Monsters
from Under the Bed," a group show at AxD,
satirized classic horror movies like "Full moon," "Camp Get Enough." and "Mars
Needs Semen" in gay erotic illustrations.
Educated in graphic arts and drawing, Broderick was inspired "to conjure the
situations absent from those nights by the 'fire' presenting a revisionist history of sorts for
those of us who grew up gay in America."
A huge movie fan from early childhood, the artist noticed that "hunks like Mike Henry, John Gavin, Guy Madison,
Gene Kelly and Sean Connery thrilled while making love to sirens like Lana Turner
and Joan Crawford in exotic locales but there was one missing component;
an overtly gay context."
Broderick brings to the forefront of his work a dynamic sexuality, even to
Santa Claus, with playfulness and a celebrated "naughtiness" in this new series
of works.
AxD in conjunction with the opening
of "Naughty" will preview several photographs from "Straight & Butch," the 2009 calendar from television's queer
talk show host, Butch Cordora, of
"In Bed with Butch" located behind the main gallery.
After the gallery closing, Victor
Rodriguez and Carla Mariani will
present Holiday Hoopla Cabaret, at
8:15 p.m., an evening of holiday-inspired music. The duo are well-known for
their cabaret series, Sunday Musicale.
Tickets are $10 per person, available at the door of the gallery's library
space.
For more information, call 215.267.6250; visit a-x-d.com
comments@QUEERtimes.net
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What They Said:
copyrighted 2009 |
 Of course, who doesn't admire Lily Tomlin? Nowadays an
out lesbian performer she has been making us all laugh a lot and most often out
loud for decades. Dubbed as a "character comedian," she is among some of those
young, brave, creative, cutting-edge members of Saturday Night Live (SNL) whose
creations were always ever-so-memorable that the mere mention of Ernestine
brings an immediate smile to my face (what about yours?). Though she was always
comfortable in her own skin, she refused to make her sexuality the center of
attention in her career. Sometimes Tomlin had to make difficult decisions about
the advancement of her name and career. Like the time she declined Time Magazine,
in 1975, the cover story placement, she told journalist Katherine Fernelius (QVegas, November 2009) because she didn't wish
to make her homosexuality a big deal. "As
a performer, I wasn't going to trade my personal life to get on the cover just
because it was convenient for them to have a gay person. That's how I felt at
the time. I was very rigid about my artistry and wanted to be known for my art
rather than my sexuality." Tomlin is busy touring her one-woman show, most
recently, last month at the MGM Grand Hollywood in Las Vegas.
_______________________________________
 Whoever thought that queer British artist David Hockney would ever abandon his sunshine,
palm trees and swimming pools in his adopted city of Los Angeles for a return to his homeland of
East Yorkshire, England? Hockney whose bright color palette captured the glow
and flow of the Southern Californian landscape that somehow captured the
mindscape of figures (one of Hockney's greatest talents, his figural
renderings). Even and especially his very explicit "queer sensibility" series
of paintings of young gay males (sometimes boyfriends) in swimming pools in
very modernist architectural residences captured the attention and appreciation
of the art-buying crowds around the world. Recently, journalist Carol Jino (The Sunday New York Times,
October 18, 2009) visited Hockney back in his familiar and native landscape.
Starting in 1959, Hockney didn't hesitate to go against the grain of abstract
movements that dominated the times. Instead, he painted figuratively, in bright
colors and was openly making notorious references to homosexuality, even still
illegal at the time in England.
Hockney "took the very English
preoccupation with portraiture and turned it upside down by eroticizing it. He
also became a major cultural symbol of '60s London--of a new confidence, a generation
that was overturning everything."
_______________________________________
 Queer actors Daniel Skelton, Michael E. R. Walker and Chris Salvatore
had a three-way interview with New York-based journalist Mikey Rox (QVegas, November 2009) about their debuts as cast
members of "Eating Out: All You Can Eat," the third in the series from creator
Q. Allan Brocka and director Glenn Gaylord. While they all enjoyed their
experience of working together on the sexy, a bit raunchy, independent gay
feature film, they were unconcerned about being identified as "out" actors--the
perennial question, issue, debate--even in today's Hollywood. On being an
openly gay actor, Salvatore told Rox: "I
think there are so many people with opinions about the topic who are not
educated enough to form one. I hear people say to me all the time the same
exact thing, that is hard to find work if you're out. But what they don't
realize is I am happy being who I am. I don't want to hide that from the world.
The closeted people who do, yeah, maybe they are famous actors who are getting
work left and right, but I bet they are living an internal hell." 
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